


Christmas is The Time To Say I Love You

by bry0psida



Series: Harringrove Advent [11]
Category: Stranger Things (TV 2016)
Genre: Crushes, First Kiss, Fluff, Getting Together, Internalized Homophobia, M/M, Period-Typical Homophobia, Winter Wonderland
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-11
Updated: 2019-12-11
Packaged: 2021-02-26 20:34:15
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,293
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21754876
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bry0psida/pseuds/bry0psida
Summary: Billy has a crush on Steve. Steve has a crush on Billy. They’re both oblivious. Max and Dustin conspire to bring them together.
Relationships: Billy Hargrove/Steve Harrington, Steve Harrington/Billy Hargrove
Series: Harringrove Advent [11]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1558885
Comments: 8
Kudos: 224





	Christmas is The Time To Say I Love You

**Author's Note:**

> Title is a song by Billy Squier.

The first time it happens, Max doesn’t think anything of it.

Billy is late picking her up from Hawkins Middle. And okay, he’s never late, but when he does show up he’s in his sweats and stinks and Max doesn’t wanna ask because then she’d have to breathe more than absolutely necessary and inhale his funk. No thanks.

But then it happens again a day later. She’s shivering by his usual spot, rubbing her hands together vigorously, flushed red from the cold. Billy pulls up half an hour late.

“Where have you been?” Max asks as she gets in the car, slamming the door behind her. “You knew I didn’t bring my board, it’s not like I could have skated home.”

To his credit, Billy does actually look a little guilty. Billy furrows his brow, looks around the mostly deserted parking lot, checks his watch. “Crap, didn’t even realise the time. Sorry, Max.”

Max huffs. “Is this gonna become a thing? ‘Cause I can just get a ride with someone else instead if you don’t want to pick me up.”

Billy shakes his head. “I’ll be on time tomorrow. Promise.”

“Better be.”

Much to Max’s surprise he does keep his promise, though he doesn’t get out of the car when they pull up to the house. “Are you going somewhere?”

“Uh huh.”

“Well, where?”

“Just back to school, play some basketball.”

“Okay. See you later.”

“Later,” Billy replies.

It becomes a thing. Nearly every week day Billy is dropping Max home, then turning right back around and heading for Hawkins High. It’s not that weird, when Max thinks about it. Billy can’t surf here, doesn’t really like skating, it’s something to do. He needs something to do. But Max can’t shake the thought that there’s more to it than just wanting to be at the top of his game.

Then it starts happening at the weekends, too. Billy’s always been…not a social butterfly, but social. He likes being around people, it’s not unusual for him to be out a lot. But he’s out all the time now, and he’s getting cagey when Max asks about it instead of outright lying or telling her to mind her own business.

Billy Hargrove is many things, but he’s never been cagey. He’s too smooth for that, too quick.

Something is going on.

…

“My man! Henderson!” Steve calls, jogging to his car.

“Where the hell have you been, dude? I’m freezing my ass off out here.”

“What do you-oh.” Steve notices the apparent lack of cars in the high school parking lot. He goes to check the time, finds his wrist bare. “How late am I?”

Dustin holds up his wrist, taps his watch. _3:40._

“Crap, I’m sorry. Lost track of time.”

“You can apologise to me in the car! Unlock the car! I can’t feel my fingers.”

“Right! Shit. Sorry.” Steve fumbles for his keys, unlocks the car. Dustin is in the passenger side before Steve can even pull the key back out of the lock.

“You wanna go to McDonalds or something, apology burger?”

Dustin shakes his head. “ _Two_ apology burgers. With Fries. And an apple pie. And a Pepsi.”

“You got it.”

It happens again the next day. Dustin at least had the good sense to bring gloves and a scarf after the first incident. Steve is apologetic as always.

“Dairy Queen this time?” He asks.

Dustin presses his bare knuckles against both vents, hogging the heat. “You’re not even gonna explain yourself? You’re like, the most reliable person I know that isn’t my mom.”

Steve shrugs. “Just got caught up playing basketball.”

“Are you going to continue getting caught up playing basketball? Hypothermia is a thing, Steve.”

“I’d never leave you hanging for that long.”

“Now _there’s_ a reassuring answer.”

“Won’t happen again man. Pinky swear.”

Dustin blinks at Steve’s outstretched pinky. “How old do you think I am?”

Steve retracts his hand and puts it back on the gearshift, all sass. “Too old for pinky swears, apparently.”

Dustin sticks his tongue out at Steve. Steve sticks his out right back.

Steve doesn’t break his promise, he’s by the car on time everyday from then on without fail. He is, however, blowing Dustin off every following weekend. Dustin brings it up on a Friday during the drive home.

“Look man, if you think you’re too _old_ or too _cool_ to hang out with me now I totally get it, no hard feelings, I’d just appreciate a heads up, ‘cause I feel like an ass coming up with stuff for us to do together and you never being into it.”

Steve scoffs in offense. “What? Henderson, you’re my _boy_ , you know that.”

Dustin sighs, exasperated. “Then what is it, Steve? Do you have a girlfriend or something? A job?”

Steve’s lip twitches. “No job, no. No girlfriend either. Just…playing a lot of basketball.”

“Since when are you so into basketball?” Dustin asks.

Steve flushes a little bit. “I don’t know. It’s just…it’s just more fun now than it used to be. But you’re right, I’ve been a dick. Gotta make time for friends, ball isn’t life.”

Dustin perks right up. “Sweet! You wanna go to the arcade? We could play Skee-Ball! Or you could thrash me at the basketball machine. Or-“ Dustin pauses when he notices Steve’s expression. “You already have plans for more basketball the second after you drop me off, don’t you?”

“Little bit, yeah. Saturday?”

Steve parks outside of Dustin’s house, leaves the engine idling. “Pick me up at 12.30. Don’t be late.”

“You got it, bro.” Steve waves as he drives off. He’s never waved at Dustin before. Dustin waves back as a reflex. _Weirdo_ , he thinks.

…

Steve’s car is idling when Dustin bounds out the door the next day. Dustin can hear music as he walks up, something fast and angry.

“Well this isn’t Tears For Fears,” He says, slamming the door behind him. “Since when do you like heavy metal?”

Steve shrugs as he pulls out and back onto the road. “Just trying something new.”

Dustin reaches for Steve’s cassette collection for something that hurts his ears a little less. Steve stops him. “Ah ah ah! Leave it.”

“Can I at least choose the music for the drive home?”

Steve concedes. “Sure, why not.”

“You didn’t answer my question.”

“What question?”

“Since when are you into…” Dustin spies the only open case. “Metallica?”

“Oh. Friend recommended them.”

“Basketball friend?”

“Uh huh.”

“Does this friend have a name?”

Steve smirks a little. “Yes.”

“Are you going to tell me?”

Steve shakes his head. Dustin crosses his arms, stares out the window at the snowy streets.

…

“When do you want me to pick you up?” Billy asks.

“Two o’clock,” Max replies. “If that’s okay.”

“That’s fine. Have fun.” Max nods, starts to get out of the car. “Max! Wait a sec.”

Max turns, faces her brother. “What?”

“Do you uh,” Billy lick his lips, eyes on the arcade. “Do you mind if I join you?’

Max blinks. “You hate arcades.”

“Pssshhh. No I don’t.”

“Yes, you do.”

Billy’s eyes are on something Max can’t see, his mouth curled into a light smile. “Not this one.”

“…Sure, I guess.”

Billy follows her in, offers to get her more quarters when he sees the slim pickings she retrieves from her pocket. _Weirder and weirder,_ she thinks. “Uh, sure. Thanks Billy.”

“No problem.”

He disappears in search of the cash exchange. Max settles in to beat her own high score on Dig Dug. Someone taps her on the shoulder in the middle of her third round.

“Not now Billy, I’m about to beat my score.”

“You’re kidding!” Says Dustin.

Max furrows her brow, doesn’t look away from the screen. “Dustin?”

Dustin steps into her peripheral vision, puts a hand on top of the machine. “The very same. How close are you?”

“Another few hundred points and I’m golden.”

Dustin watches quietly as Max beats her own score by another 200 points before a falling boulder gets her. Dustin holds his palm up for a high five. “That was totally tubular!”

Max giggles, slapping her hand against his. “You know literally no one in Cali says that, right?”

“Not even your brother? He surfs, right?”

“Not since coming here, but no, to the best of my knowledge Billy would rather throw himself into oncoming traffic than say that.”

“Bit dramatic if you ask me,” Dustin replies. “Wanna watch me play Dragon’s Lair?”

“Sure.” They head over to the machine. “Where’re the guys? You here alone?”

Dustin feeds coins into the machine. “I came with Steve but he ditched me, said he saw someone he needs to talk to. Asshole.” The opening credits play, illuminating his face purple. “What about you, you here by yourself?”

Max looks around. “Billy’s here. Said he’d get me more quarters like, ten minutes ago or something.”

Dustin tilts his head a little in question, eyes glued to the screen. “You wanna go look for him?”

“Nah. He’s being real weird lately.”

“How so?”

“Billy always drops me off but he wanted to come in today. He hates arcades.”

“Huh. Now that you mention it, Steve’s been pretty weird lately, too.”

“Yeah?”

“Yeah. He was late driving me home like twice in a row, and he’s been blowing me off for weeks.”

“Maybe he’s just a little too old to be hanging out with you now.”

“I asked him if that’s what it was and he said no. He said something like, _‘I’m just really into basketball right now.’_ ”

“You’re kidding.”

Dustin curses as he dies in the tentacle room. “ _Shit._ ” He plugs more coins into the machine. “Why would I be kidding?”

“Billy was late picking me up twice a couple weeks ago, and he’s been playing basketball like, nonstop.”

Dustin dies on the drawbridge. “So they’re hanging out?”

“Looks like.” Max swaps places with Dustin to take her turn. “Still doesn’t explain why Billy’s being weird the rest of the time, though.”

“What else is he doing?”

“He’s out like every day now. He never used to go out this much.”

“Logic follows that's all they're doing.”

Max swings Dirk from one flaming rope to another. “If that’s all they’re doing then why wouldn’t he just say that?”

Dustin pulls Max away from the machine by the shoulder. “I have an idea.”

Dirk charges into a wall of flames. “Dustin! You could’ve at least let me finish the game.”

“This is more important, come on.” Max follows Dustin through the arcade. They do two laps of the floor.

“Where are we even going?” She asks.

“We’re looking for your brother and Steve, obviously.”

“Well they _obviously_ aren’t in here. Let’s try the parking lot.”

They walk to the front of the arcade, cup their hands around their eyes against the glass to see past the glare from all the machines. Lo and behold, Steve and Billy are sitting and smoking on the hood of Steve’s beemer.

“Told you they’d be out there,” Max says, feeling smug.

“But what are they doing?”

“Smoking, talking. You need glasses or something?”

Dustin tuts. “Yeah, no shit. I mean, why are they both being sneaky about just smoking and talking?”

They pull away from the glass simultaneously.

“Oh my god,” Max says. “They’re dating.”

“Or not,” Dustin replies.

“How would you know? It’s 1984, doofus. They can’t exactly hold hands in the parking lot.”

“Steve would tell me. He knows I’m cool.”

Max crosses her arms. “How would he know that? Have you ever talked about that stuff?”

Dustin looks offended. “Of course we have. Steve tells me about all his crushes.”

Max arches a brow. “And were any of them boys?”

“…No. Shoot.”

Max looks back out the window at the pair. They’re smiling at each other like they have a secret worth keeping. “Look, let’s just go out there and see how they react to being interrupted. Billy said he’d give me cash, anyway.”

Dustin nods. “Alright, just be cool.”

Max leads the way out the door. “I’m always cool, you’re the one with a severe case of foot-in-mouth syndrome.”

“Just because it’s true doesn’t mean you have to remind me every time we hang out.”

“Will you shut up?”

He shuts up. Steve and Billy don’t notice them approaching, too caught up in each other.

“What’s the biggest wave you ever surfed?” Steve asks.

Billy pretends to think about it. “About 8-10 feet.”

Steve nudges Billy’s shoulder with his own. “No way. I don’t believe that.”

“Maybe I’ll drive you up to Lake Michigan and show you my skills.”

“Waves don’t get that high on lakes,” Max interrupts. “Where’s my change?”

Billy and Steve flinch apart, putting several inches between them on the hood. Billy looks startled, Steve is flushing something fierce. “Crap, sorry Max.” He digs his wallet out of his front pocket, hands her a $5 bill. “Go change that up, knock yourself out.”

Max takes the money without a fuss. Dustin can’t keep his mouth shut. “What the hell, Steve? You’re supposed to be hanging out with _me_ today.”

Steve looks at Dustin, then Billy, then back and forth again. “I-“

“I swear to _god_ Steve, if your next words aren’t, ‘I’m so sorry, Dustin. You’re right, I am a lousy friend. Let’s go shoot some hoops,’ I will never forgive you.”

Max hits Dustin on the arm, shoots him a frustrated look. Dustin turns his head and winks at her with the eye Billy and Steve can’t see.

Steve pushes himself to his feet, crushes his cigarette beneath his shoe before picking it up to throw it in the trash. “Does it have to be verbatim?”

Dustin just sighs and throws his hands in the air as he turns back towards the Palace Arcade. “Hopeless, utterly hopeless.”

Max keeps pace with Dustin, Steve and Billy follow closely behind. Max hisses in Dustin’s ear, “What the hell are you doing?”

“Gonna pump Steve for information,” he whispers back. “You do the same with Billy.”

“Have you _met_ Billy? You think he talks to his little sister about his crushes or girlfriends, let alone boyfriends?”

“What are you two whispering about?” Billy asks. “Something you’d like to share with the rest of the class?”

“Nothing!” Max and Dustin say in tandem.

The pairs part ways once inside the arcade, Dustin and Steve heading for the basketball machine, Billy and Max towards Pac Man.

…

“Alright Steve, I’m not gonna beat around the bush.”

Steve shows off by turning on the moving hoop feature,. “Out with it, then.”

“Do you have a secret girlfriend?” Steve misses spectacularly.

_“What?”_

“You heard me, Harrington.”

“No, I don’t have a secret girlfriend.”

“A crush, then?”

“Why are you grilling me about my love life?”

Dustin puts his hand on the ball Steve is about to toss. “Answer the question, Steve.”

Steve won’t look at him. “No, Jesus.”

 _Got ya_ , Dustin thinks.

…

“Soooo…” Max drawls.

“Soooo?” Billy drawls back, focused on PacMan.

“Do you, uh…have a girlfriend at the moment?”

Billy snorts. “Why are you asking me this?”

“Just, you know, making conversation.”

“Since when do we talk about relationships?”

“Since…now?”

Billy gets swallowed by a ghost. They switch places.

“No, I don’t have a girlfriend at the moment.”

“What about a uh, a crush?”

Billy doesn’t say anything. Max’s eyes dart from the screen to his face. He’s pressing his lips together, looking at something else. “Do _you_ have a crush?”

“No,” Max answers.

The game lets her know she’s been eaten by a ghost. Billy bumps his hips against hers. “Scoot over, it’s my turn.”

 _Knew it_ , Max thinks.

…

The next hour passes for Dustin and Max slowly. The conversation around games is awkward and stunted, but they both get what they’re after.

They say goodbye in the parking lot and reconvene at lunch on Monday.

“So what’d he say to you?” Max asks.

Dustin pulls a saran wrapped sandwich out of his lunch box. “He told me he doesn’t have a secret girlfriend or a crush.”

“And do you believe him?”

“Girlfriend yes, crush no.”

“Why?”

“He wouldn’t look at me when I asked the second one.”

Max smacks her hand on the table. “Billy did the exact same thing with me.”

“So, they’re not dating.” Max shakes her head. “But they do like each other.” Max nods vigorously. “But do they know they like each other?”

Max snorts, digs an apple out of her backpack. “Have you ever had a crush, Dustin? Something like that doesn’t just pass you by.”

Dustin looks at her like she’s stupid. “That’s not what I meant. I meant do they know the person they like likes them back?”

Max pauses, apple midair, mouth open. “That’s…yeah, that makes more sense. I’d say no.”

“So what are we gonna do about this?”

“What are we gonna do about what?” Mike asks as he plops down next to Dustin, closely followed by Lucas and Will.

“Nothing,” Max says too quickly.

“Trust me, you don’t wanna know.” Says Dustin.

“Oh come on, man! You just made whatever it is like, ten times more interesting.” Lucas whines.

Will shrugs. “Good enough for me.”

“Max,” Says Dustin. “We’ll talk about this more later, okay?”

“Okay.”

…

They hatch a plan over the phone later that night. They couldn’t have timed this discovery more perfectly if they’d tried. Christmas is coming soon and a Winter Wonderland just opened in Madison. Everyone wants to go, obviously. The boys don’t understand _why_ they need to be carpooled by Steve and Billy as opposed to their parents or older siblings, but they don’t kick up too much of a fuss about it.

It’s come together better than Max or Dustin could’ve hoped. _Somehow_ , Steve and Billy don’t know the other is driving to the same place at the same time on the same night. Or if they do, they’ve not said anything about it. Max is betting on the former. Billy’s smart, he would’ve clocked something was going on if he knew after their awkward talk in the arcade.

The trap is set. All they need to do now is wait for Billy and Steve to take the bait.

…

“Aaand we’re here! Out of the car, boys and boys.” Steve kills the engine and unlocks the doors. Dustin, Will, Lucas and Mike spill out the passenger doors.

It’s been a hectic drive. The boys were more than a little hyper on the way. _Should’ve known better than to get ‘em Slushie’s before an hour and a half drive._

“What’re we gonna do first? I wanna try the rollercoaster.” Says Lucas.

“Oh heck yeah, we gotta start with the coaster.” Mike replies.

“Think I’ll pass on the rides,” Says Will. “What do you wanna do first, Dustin?”

“I kinda wanna try the rollercoaster.” Will groans. Dustin pats him on the back. “You can always just watch.”

Lucas snorts. “Like hell he can. You’re riding with us, Byers.”

“Nobody’s riding anything till I get us some tickets.” Says Steve.

“Wait!” Says Dustin. “Is that…Is that Max, and El?”

All heads turn in the direction Dustin is pointing. Steve’s heart gives a little kick in his chest when he sees Billy behind the girls, walking towards them with purpose. _You forgot Billy,_ he wants to say. Doesn’t.

“As I live and breathe! Didn’t expect to see you here, Harrington.”

Steve laughs lightly. “Likewise, Hargrove. You stickin’ around?”

“Nah, not a fan of all this Christmas shit. Just gonna kick it in the car with some Bon Jovi.”

Max and Dustin exchange a look. “You’d really rather freeze your ass off in the car?” Max asks. Billy glares at her. Steve’s about to ask when Max clarifies. “Heater’s broken.”

“You can, uh, you can wait in my car, if you want?” Max and Dustin sigh in unison. “What is up with you two?” Steve asks.

“Nothing!” They both say.

“Sure, okay,” Steve says, not believing them for a second. “Billy?”

Billy’s biting his lip, eyes darting back and forth between the Camaro, Steve’s beemer and Bicentennial Park. “I think…No, I’ll come with. Why not.”

Steve sees Max pump her fist in his peripheral vision. The other kids look as confused as Steve feels.

They walk as a group to the entrance. Steve buys tickets for himself and all the kids, including Max and El. Billy pats his pockets frantically. “Shit.”

“What?” Steve asks.

“Forgot my god damn wallet.”

“Is it in your car?”

“I remember leaving it on my bed. Fuck.”

“It’s fine, I’ll pay.” Billy protests. Steve buys him a ticket anyway. “No sweat, dude. Chill out. It’s Winter Wonderland for christ sake.”

Billy cracks a smile at that. “Don’t think I’m not paying you back.”

“Whatever you gotta do, man.”

The kids drag them to the biggest ride in the park, that being the roller coaster. It’s pretty big. Steve’s never ridden one before, not sure he wants to.

“You ever been on one of these things?” Steve asks.

Billy responds. “Nah. Definitely getting on this one, though.” Billy walks ahead with the kids, Steve hangs back. “You coming, man?”

Steve shifts his weight from one foot to the other. Billy waves the kids on ahead, walks back to Steve. “Are you scared?” His tone isn’t mocking, he actually looks concerned. Steve melts a little.

“I think I’d be pretty stupid if I wasn’t at least a little scared.”

Billy smiles a half smile. “Calling me stupid, Harrington?”

Steve grins back. “Maybe.”

“Let’s go be stupid together.” Steve can’t say no to something as sweet as that, so he doesn’t.

Somehow they end up at the front of the cars despite being the last people on. Steve notices Dustin and Max’s heads turning like owls to follow them as they walk past. Something is definitely going on. Steve’s more focused on getting on this death trap with Billy than anything else, honestly.

The ride operator looks as exasperated as he sounds as he rattles off the instructions for them. “Keep all your body parts within the car. Do not deliberately drop anything out of the car. Do not look behind you. Do not attempt to stand up.”

“There anything we can do, man?” Billy cracks. The operator just sighs and starts the ride.

The incline is slow but steep. Steve’s heart is already picking up speed. He glances at Billy, who’s looking extremely pumped. His eyes are wide as his smile, all teeth. The wind is tousling his hair. For the first time in his life, Steve is jealous of the wind. _Cool it, Harrington_ , he thinks.

In no time at all they’re at the top of the first hill. Steve’s heart crashes in his chest. He looks at Billy again, startles when he finds Billy starting right back at him, face serious. For a moment they’re weightless, then thrown forwards. Steve doesn’t know who initiates the contact but their hands find each other and hold on tight. Everyone is yelling or screaming. Steve’s never felt more alive and it has nothing to do with the adrenaline.

It’s over quick as it started. Steve’s world is spinning. He’s not sure if he’s high on the ride or Billy. _Probably both_. He lets go first, desperately tries to ignore how shitty it feels when Billy lets him.

Steve hauls himself out of the car, swaying a little. The kids are laughing. “That was _totally tubular!_ ” Max and Lucas call out together. Everyone is throwing up the Shaka sign.

Steve stumbles away from the coaster, still dizzy. Billy checks on him, because of course he does.

“You okay, Steve?” Steve nods, regrets it immediately when it only serves to make him dizzier. “You need some water? I’ll get you some water.”

Billy’s gone before Steve can tell him not to worry about it. He keeps leaning against a fence, willing away the nausea. Billy thrusts a bottle of water into his hands. Steve screws the cap off and takes a sip, eyes still closed.

“Where’re the kids?” Steve asks.

“They ditched us for some other ride. Told ‘em to meet us in the parking lot at 10 if we don’t bump into them again.”

“Good call.” Steve opens his eyes. “What should we do, then?”

Billy licks his lips, looks around. “Not sure. What do you wanna do?”

Steve tries to remember exactly what was in the pamphlet. “We could go ice skating. You ever been ice skating?” Billy shakes his head no. “Let’s go ice skating.”

…

Billy knows he should have said something sooner, he just, like, _hates_ saying no to Steve, and he really doesn’t wanna unpack that right now. Not to mention Steve just subjected himself to a roller coaster ‘cause Billy suggested it. He should return the favour, right?

Billy pretends his ears are burning from the cold as the wind blows his hair away from his face and not a heady cocktail of embarrassment and arousal as Steve kneels in front of him to lace up his skates. Billy kept getting it wrong, asked Steve to _show_ him, not put his hands on the bench either side of Billy and sink to his knees like he’s gonna _blow_ him.

Steve has his skates laced in no time, holds his hand out. Billy just looks at it. Steve rolls his eyes. “You’re gonna need something to hold onto the first couple steps. Not like you were shy on the rollercoaster.” Billy wants to say that was different, but he doesn’t actually think it is. He takes Steve’s hand, stands on shaking legs and takes a few wobbly steps, looking and feeling like a newborn foal.

He _knows_ people aren’t looking at them. Holding your friend’s hand to help them stand up when they literally can’t walk straight isn’t gay or anything, but he can’t quite ignore the instinctual fear such an open display evokes.

Billy drops Steve’s hand like it’s a hot potato the second he can grasp the barriers of the rink. Steve steps onto the ice effortlessly, glides around a couple times while Billy situates himself on the ice, which takes significantly longer since Billy is more focused on Steve showing off with spins than actually finding his balance.

Billy lets go of the barrier, falls square on his ass. Steve skates over. “Need some help?” He asks, amusement evident in his voice.

“What do you think?” Billy holds out a hand, Steve doesn’t take it.

“Pulling you up doesn’t teach you how to get yourself up.” Billy huffs. “Hands off the ice. Now get on your knees, that’s it. Now get onto just one knee. Put both your hands on that knee and use the muscles in your leg to push yourself up.”

Billy does as he’s told. Feels a small thrill run through him when it works and Steve rewards him with a smile. “See? You did it all by yourself. Didn’t need my help.”

“I needed a _little_ of your help.” He reaches out for the barrier and pulls himself back to safety, nearly falls on his ass again.

“Not like that, don’t put so much weight on the barrier.” Steve’s hand materialises on Billy’s low back, pushes him gently to encourage a straight spine. “Most of your weight should be on your feet, yeah, like that. Now bend your knees a little-better, that’s better. You feel steady now?”

 _Not even a little bit._ “Yeah. Mostly. How do I move?”

“Start by just pulling yourself along the barrier, don’t move your legs or anything, just that.”

Billy does so at a snails pace. “How long do I have to do this?”

“Let’s go round once, then you can try little steps.”

The rink isn’t that big, it still takes a while to get round at Billy’s current speed. Steve is gliding beside him, hands hovering by his sides like he’s a kid. Billy likes it more than he’s comfortable with.

They finish the first lap quietly, silence only broken by Steve’s gentle encouragement.

“Alright, now let’s try little steps. Keep your eyes forward, if you look down you’ll tip over.”

They make it halfway round the rink when Billy’s tolerance for the constant _almost not really touching_ runs out. “You can go skate if you want.”

“I can stay if you need-“

“Steve, I’m fine. Go show off some more.”

Steve crinkles his nose a little as he flashes Billy another smile before taking off in a backwards glide.

Steve skates circles around him. He looks so carefree on the ice, Billy thinks he was born to do this. He’s good at basketball, sure, but that’s something he noticeably has to work at. Steve isn’t trying at all, he’s just doing. It’s beautiful. _He’s_ beautiful.

Billy has that particularly jarring thought right in time for him to step off the ice. He leans on the barrier and watches Steve some more, lets his thoughts venture miles away from his comfort zone for a few short minutes. He reigns it back in when Steve joins him.

Steve must see something in his face. “You okay?”

Billy swallows around the lump in his throat. “Never better.”

…

Billy’s been a little off since they stopped skating. Steve would chalk it up to beginners embarrassment, but Billy’s so shameless that Steve’s not sure that’s an emotion Billy has any concept of.

They’re walking aimlessly through the market when Steve spots the sign. _Alcohol. Perfect._ “Mulled wine?” Steve asks.

“You know we’re driving home, right?”

“One cup isn’t gonna put someone with your tolerance over the limit.”

“’S not me I’m worried about.”

“Just ‘cause I’m not doing keg stands every other weekend now doesn’t mean I can’t handle _one_ cup of wine. Doesn’t heating it up like, neutralise the alcohol or some shit?”

Billy shrugs. Steve resolves to to go get them mulled wine.

He leaves Billy waiting by a jewellery stall to get their drinks. Flashes his fake ID when they ask.

Billy’s at the same stall when Steve comes back, staring intently at a set of earrings.

“Something caught your eye?”

Billy tears himself away from the pair of sea glass earrings. “No.”

Steve looks at them properly, really looks at them. They’re mismatching, one parakeet green and the other Turkish blue. They’d look beautiful in contrast to Billy’s perpetually tanned skin.

“Billy, if you really want them I’ll buy them for you.”

“You see the price tag?”

Steve checks. Definitely out of Billy’s price range. “That’s why I’m offering to pay.”

“I can’t just take your money for something I don’t need.”

“You wouldn’t. You’d be taking my dad’s money.” Billy shuffles from one foot to the other, visibly uncomfortable. Whether it’s the talk about money or that Billy won’t let other people do nice things for him Steve in’t sure. “My dad’s an asshole. He doesn’t need the money. _Please_ let me waste my dad’s money on you.”

Billy looks back at the earrings for a long quiet moment, lips pressed together. He nods once. “Alright.”

Steve hands Billy the wine so he can pay.

They sit down on a log acting as a makeshift bench. Billy sips his wine. Steve watches the bob of his throat as he swallows.

“Are you gonna try one on?”

Billy blinks at him. “What, now?”

“Why not?”

Billy seems to deliberate with himself over something, uncharacteristically pensive. He unhooks his little hoop and slips it into the paper bag the saleswoman gave him for the earrings. He scoops out the other two, considering which one to try.

“The blue one,” Steve blurts out. “It’ll bring out your eyes.”

Regret doesn’t have time to kick in because Billy’s put away the green earring and he’s holding the blue one out to Steve and sweeping his curls behind his ear. “Put it in for me?” He asks.

Steve puts down his wine with a shaky hand. He’s not quite tipsy, but he doesn’t trust himself to put something mildly sharp into another person’s body whilst holding a cup of hot dark liquid.

He gently takes Billy’s left earlobe between his thumb and forefinger, revels in the softness of his skin. Steve slips the flat back off the earring and gently slides the post through. It’s shockingly intimate. The constant raucous babble of people and Christmas music and rides fades away till all Steve can hear is his and Billy’s breathing. He slides the back onto the post till it rests against the back of Billy’s lobe.

Steve wants to cry when he pulls away. Something about this night is bringing every feeling for Billy he’s been desperately trying to bury right to the surface. He opens his throat and throws back the wine in one go.

Billy laughs unsteadily beside him. “It was tense for you too, huh?”

“You have no idea.”

…

Billy doesn’t know how they end up at the Ferris wheel. It’s way too much of a cliche. It’s a pretty normal way to end a night at a place like this, but Billy just. He just can’t take anymore of this crazy tension between them. He doesn’t know if it’s all him, if Steve’s just reacting to Billy’s ever-growing desire, if…if maybe Steve feels it too.

He stamps that wild thought into the icy mud with his cigarette. He’s 18. He’s Billy fucking Hargrove. He can get on a Ferris wheel and not be a little bitch about it. Crush or no, Steve’s his friend. Billy doesn’t deserve someone like Steve as a friend. There’s not much he can give back, but he can at least do little things like this.

Billy’s hands are in a vice grip on the bar that stops idiots like him from standing on these things. Steve is somewhere else, got that far away look in his eyes.

He takes the opportunity to really _look_ at Steve. His hair is wild from the coaster and the wind, his cheeks are flushed a pretty pink, his lips are so red Billy would think he had some kind of stain on, if he didn’t know any better.

Steve catches him staring. “What?”

“Nothing.”

Their car jerks a little as the wheel starts to move. Steve’s fingers nudge his on the bar. “I ever tell you I’m afraid of heights?”

Billy stutters. “N-no.”

Steve peels Billy’s hand off of the bar, clasps it between them. “Well, I am.” He says.

Billy looks across the park in a desperate attempt to distract himself from how fucking _right_ it feels to have a boy’s hand in his. And not just any boy, but Steve of all people.

It’s beautiful up here. What the trees lack in leaves they make up for in an assortment of lights. Billy sees the roller coaster, sees the ice rink, sees the market where Steve bought them mulled wine, sees the bench where Steve put in his earring. They’re getting near the top, now. Billy knows what this means for other guys. Normal guys.

“Billy,” Steve says gently. “Billy, look at me.”

Billy clenches his jaw, does as he’s asked. Gasps a little when he see’s the look on Steve’s face. He can’t hold it in anymore.

“Steve,” Billy whispers. “I need to tell you-“

Steve interrupts him. “I’m not afraid of heights," He says. "I just wanted to hold your hand.” Steve cups Billy’s left cheek with his right hand, brushes a thumb over his earlobe, over the sea glass. "I was right, the blue one does bring out your eyes.”

Steve’s warm breath mists in the air between them, washes over Billy’s face. He smells like mulled wine and Marlboro reds and something saccharine that must be a byproduct of how fucking sweet Steve is as a person.

“Kiss me,” Billy asks. “Steve, please kiss me.”

Steve surges forward faster than Billy can blink. His lips are a little chapped but still soft. Steve’s exhale through his nose is hot on Billy’s face.

Steve starts to pull away and Billy honest to god whines, he’d die of shame if Steve didn’t make a similar noise and dive right back in. Steve’s teeth are around Billy’s bottom lip, his tongue in Billy’s mouth.

He tastes like spiced wine and cigarettes and sweetness. He tastes like everything Billy’s ever wanted.

…

Steve pulls away for the second time, panting. More from his heart pounding in his chest than a lack of air.

Billy’s hair is a curly mess and his lips are wet from their kissing and his pupils are blown wide and Steve _loves_ it all. Loves _him_.

“It might be a little soon to say this,” Steve laces their fingers together properly, squeezes. “But I sort of love you, Billy Hargrove.”

Billy makes a choked sound, something between a gasp and a sob. His voice is so quiet and yet so loud when he replies, “I sort of love you too, Steve Harrington.”

…

“Quit hogging the binoculars!” Dustin hisses. Max swats his grabbing hands away.

“Buzz off, Henderson. Wait your turn.”

“I’ve been waiting!”

“Nothing’s _happened_ yet, okay? Nothing to see.”

Dustin huffs beside her. The grass is wet, Max’s elbows are cold and soaked from leaning on them for so long. She tracks Billy and Steve’s progress up the ferris wheel with steady hands in spite of the urge to vibrate out of her skin in anticipation.

“What’re they doing now?”

Steve puts a hand on Billy’s face. Billy looks more vulnerable than Max has ever seen him. Then Steve kisses him, and Max feels Billy’s relief like it’s her own.

“Max?”

Max smiles, passes Dustin the binoculars. “What we’ve been waiting for.”

**Author's Note:**

> Mild continuity error: due to the canonical proximity of Hawkin's High and Hawkins Middle on the map, they more than likely share a parking lot, but I couldn't put Max and Dustin in the same lot or their conversation in the arcade would've happened there instead, and I just didn't have the time to iron out small creases like this.
> 
> Would y'all believe I wrote and edited this whole thing in a day? I'm surprised myself.
> 
> As always, thank you for reading.
> 
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